Norbu, host of a Tibetan family, lost his house and livelihood when the May 12 quake shook his hometown in Samen Village in Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture of southwest China's Sichuan Province, yet four months after the tragedy, when we step into this small village with 51 Tibetan households, we found that those quake survivors including Norbu family have devoted themselves to the reconstruction of their houses and lives.
Busy working on repairing the roof, Norbu plans to rebuild a relatively comfortable house where his family can live for the next couple of years.
"We really suffer from huge lost and at that time we live in a temporary tent not for from our damaged house," pointed to the tent, says Norbu. "Now, the government is offering a daily stipend of 10 yuan and 500 grams of food. There is no problem for our basic life. What we have problem is the cost for rebuilding our house. I have spent 200,000 yuan to build this house before the quake and it needs about 30,000 yuan to repair the roof and terrace, but we can only get a subsidy of 5,000 yuan from the prefecture government, of course the amount is not enough. But all of us obviously know that we have so many households suffering from the disaster, it is really not easy for the government to deal with."
More than 5 million people were left homeless after the earthquake in Sichuan Province. The government has given 5,000 yuan to each family who lost their home to build makeshift accommodation in remote villages. Furthermore, the government has also designated 19 provinces and municipalities to each aid a county in the worst hit quake areas. These provinces are helping to rebuild schools, hospitals and other infrastructure projects such as roads, electricity and gas supply systems.
Now the survivors themselves are also struggling to rebuild new lives as locals start repairing the damaged houses once home to so many people and some residents come back to their daily handicraft work. Peace and leisure, this is what we have seen at Zada Village of Aba Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture as a Tibetan girl is sewing at a sartorius and two Tibetan boys are mending fishing net opposing to the clear quake trail.
"We must depend on the government, but we also need the power of ourselves," said Shenzha Rgyal, a retired Tibetan soldier who becomes the host to a small restaurant in Li County. "Evacuating guests in my restaurant is my first act when the quake came and I also join in the volunteer team to give a hand to material-transport as well as establishing temporary tents for some ten households."
As a matter of fact, there are countless volunteers including those Sichuan locals and some others from all over the world giving a hand to the rescue as well as the reconstruction.
Without waiting for signals from the authoritarian government, Liu Jin, a 22-year-old student in China's richest city, Shanghai, joined tens of thousands of volunteers to offer help to the needy quake-sufferers.
"I believe people will unite even better in the future and we will have much experience if there comes another disaster," said a volunteer.
As time goes by, life continues in the quake-hit areas and tomorrow is another day.
By China Tibet Information Center
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Myanmar steps up control of trans-border animal diseases
Myanmar is making arrangements to establish more animal quarantine laboratories in two areas bordering Thailand as part of its bid to step up control of trans-border animal diseases under the two countries' cooperation program in the aspects, the local 7-Day News reported Thursday.
The two border areas are Myawaddy and Kawthoung in southeastern Kayin state.
The Myanmar side is to offer building and health workers, while the Thai side is to provide technical knowhow and materials, the report said, adding that a Thai delegation from the Animal Development made a study trip to Myanmar last week as a preparatory move.
Myanmar has been placing emphasis on control of trans-border animal diseases, introducing animal quarantine laboratories in border trading areas with neighboring countries.
Under an agreement between the Livestock Breeding Veterinary Department of Myanmar and the Agriculture Department of China's Yunnan Province reached in 2006, animal quarantine labs inareas such as Muse, Lashio, Kengtung and Myitkyina, where border trade activities are carried out, are being built.
These labs will help transfer information speedily and test thesafety of live animals and animal byproducts intended for export and import through border trade, experts said.
In December 2007, under an agreement signed between the LBVD and the Japan International Cooperation Agency , the latter will provide aid worth of 102 million Japanese yen to Myanmar to help the country fight five animal diseases including avian influenza by setting up laboratories, exchanging information and conducting refresher courses for the diseases control, according to an earlier report.
Source: Xinhua
The two border areas are Myawaddy and Kawthoung in southeastern Kayin state.
The Myanmar side is to offer building and health workers, while the Thai side is to provide technical knowhow and materials, the report said, adding that a Thai delegation from the Animal Development made a study trip to Myanmar last week as a preparatory move.
Myanmar has been placing emphasis on control of trans-border animal diseases, introducing animal quarantine laboratories in border trading areas with neighboring countries.
Under an agreement between the Livestock Breeding Veterinary Department of Myanmar and the Agriculture Department of China's Yunnan Province reached in 2006, animal quarantine labs inareas such as Muse, Lashio, Kengtung and Myitkyina, where border trade activities are carried out, are being built.
These labs will help transfer information speedily and test thesafety of live animals and animal byproducts intended for export and import through border trade, experts said.
In December 2007, under an agreement signed between the LBVD and the Japan International Cooperation Agency , the latter will provide aid worth of 102 million Japanese yen to Myanmar to help the country fight five animal diseases including avian influenza by setting up laboratories, exchanging information and conducting refresher courses for the diseases control, according to an earlier report.
Source: Xinhua
First Chinese tourist group to Israel leaves today
80 members of the first Chinese tourist group to Israel, organized by China Travel Service Head Office and China Youth Travel Service, will leave for Israel on Sept 25 and Sept 28, 2008 respectively.
This means the agreement between China and Israel about Chinese tourist group's travel to Israel has finally been implemented after one year's preparation.
"The agreement not only has great marketing potential, but also will promote the mutual understanding and cooperation between two countries," Barella, Israeli Tourism Minsiter, said in an interview.
She also mentioned about the safety of tourists. She said: "Safety is always the most important thing to be cared about for traveling in Israel. Israel is the most experienced country to deal with terrorism and to guarantee the safety of tourists. In addition, terrorist activities happened in Israel never aimed at foreign tourists. So, it is safe traveling in Israel."
By People's Daily Online
This means the agreement between China and Israel about Chinese tourist group's travel to Israel has finally been implemented after one year's preparation.
"The agreement not only has great marketing potential, but also will promote the mutual understanding and cooperation between two countries," Barella, Israeli Tourism Minsiter, said in an interview.
She also mentioned about the safety of tourists. She said: "Safety is always the most important thing to be cared about for traveling in Israel. Israel is the most experienced country to deal with terrorism and to guarantee the safety of tourists. In addition, terrorist activities happened in Israel never aimed at foreign tourists. So, it is safe traveling in Israel."
By People's Daily Online
NASA wishes China success on launch of Shenzhou-7 mission
"NASA wishes China success on the launch of Shenzhou-7 and the safe return of its crew," a spokesman for the U.S. space agency told Xinhua on the eve of the mission.
China has announced that the Shenzhou-7 spacecraft will lift off on Thursday night. This will be the third Chinese manned space mission, but the first time Chinese astronauts perform a spacewalk.
"Spacewalks are very important to space exploration," said Michael Braukus, the public affair officer at NASA headquarters in Washington, D.C. "Spacewalks will probably be necessary in the repair and assembly of future exploration spacecraft."
He said NASA's Apollo missions demonstrated the scientific importance of leaving the spacecraft and venturing outside into the moon's hostile environment to collect samples and perform science experiments.
When asked about the prospect of cooperation between U.S. and China in the field of space exploration, the spokesman told Xinhua that during the NASA Administrator -- Michael Griffin's visit to China in Sept. 2006, the China National Space Administration and NASA agreed to form working groups for discussion in Earth science and space science.
"U.S. and China meet for initial discussions and exchange information on subjects of mutual scientific interest, centered on complementary measurements and data exchanges on missions that arealready being pursued," Braukus said. And the recent meetings took place on June 30 and July 1, 2008.
NASA's space exploration missions include expansion of human knowledge of our planet and phenomena in space. "International dialogues can increase this knowledge," said Braukus. "China's space program offers potential opportunities for cooperation in Earth and space science."
Source: Xinhua
China has announced that the Shenzhou-7 spacecraft will lift off on Thursday night. This will be the third Chinese manned space mission, but the first time Chinese astronauts perform a spacewalk.
"Spacewalks are very important to space exploration," said Michael Braukus, the public affair officer at NASA headquarters in Washington, D.C. "Spacewalks will probably be necessary in the repair and assembly of future exploration spacecraft."
He said NASA's Apollo missions demonstrated the scientific importance of leaving the spacecraft and venturing outside into the moon's hostile environment to collect samples and perform science experiments.
When asked about the prospect of cooperation between U.S. and China in the field of space exploration, the spokesman told Xinhua that during the NASA Administrator -- Michael Griffin's visit to China in Sept. 2006, the China National Space Administration and NASA agreed to form working groups for discussion in Earth science and space science.
"U.S. and China meet for initial discussions and exchange information on subjects of mutual scientific interest, centered on complementary measurements and data exchanges on missions that arealready being pursued," Braukus said. And the recent meetings took place on June 30 and July 1, 2008.
NASA's space exploration missions include expansion of human knowledge of our planet and phenomena in space. "International dialogues can increase this knowledge," said Braukus. "China's space program offers potential opportunities for cooperation in Earth and space science."
Source: Xinhua
JIUQUAN, Gansu: Shenzhou VII will lift off between 9:07 pm and 10:27 pm today, carrying three astronauts, one of who will become the first Chinese to
Eight newborns died between Sept. 5and 15 in a hospital in northwest China's Shaanxi province, with an iatrogenic infection suspected as the cause, local authorities confirmed on Thursday.
The babies were among the 94 admitted by the No. 1 hospital affiliated with the College of Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University in Shaanxi's capital, between Aug. 28 and Sept. 16.
Some were born in the hospital while others were admitted for various illnesses, local sources said.
An initial investigation found no connection between the deaths and the milk powder fed to the babies.
The Shaanxi provincial government has urged the university to punish those who tried to cover up the incident.
Zheng Xiaoming, vice governor of Shaanxi, ordered the newborn wards to be closed and disinfected so as to prevent more infections.
A task force of experts from the State Health Ministry and the Health Department of Shaanxi are conducting further investigations.
Source: Xinhua
The babies were among the 94 admitted by the No. 1 hospital affiliated with the College of Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University in Shaanxi's capital, between Aug. 28 and Sept. 16.
Some were born in the hospital while others were admitted for various illnesses, local sources said.
An initial investigation found no connection between the deaths and the milk powder fed to the babies.
The Shaanxi provincial government has urged the university to punish those who tried to cover up the incident.
Zheng Xiaoming, vice governor of Shaanxi, ordered the newborn wards to be closed and disinfected so as to prevent more infections.
A task force of experts from the State Health Ministry and the Health Department of Shaanxi are conducting further investigations.
Source: Xinhua
Shenzhou VII lifts off tonight
JIUQUAN, Gansu: Shenzhou VII will lift off between 9:07 pm and 10:27 pm today, carrying three astronauts, one of who will become the first Chinese to walk in space, senior space program officials said yesterday.
One of the astronauts, Zhai Zhigang will walk in space around 4:30 pm on Saturday, media reports said.
The spacecraft will carry astronauts Liu Boming and Jing Haipeng, too.
One of the major tasks of the three-day mission is extra-vehicular activity , or spacewalk in this case, mission spokesman Wang Zhaoyao said at a news conference yesterday. The success of the task will mark a remarkable step forward for China.
The other tasks include releasing a small monitoring satellite and satellite data relay trials, said Wang, who is also deputy director of China's manned space program office.
"The Shenzhou VII mission marks a historic breakthrough in China's manned space program. It is a great honor for all three of us to be part of the mission, and we are fully prepared for the challenge," Zhai Zhigang said when he and the other two astronauts met the media yesterday.
Tonight's mission will be the second stage of China's three-stage manned space program, which eventually is aimed at building a space lab and a space station by 2020.
Engineers began loading fuel in the carrier rocket at 4 pm yesterday, a process that would take seven hours and meant the launch was "irreversible", Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center officials said.
Shenzhou VII will be launched from atop the Long-March II-F carrier rocket into orbit 343 km from Earth.
Two of the astronauts will enter the orbital module, put on EVA spacesuits and prepare for the spacewalk. One of them will put on a China-made "Feitian" EVA suit and the other, a Russian Orlan-M "Haiying" suit.
And "one of the two will get out of the cabin and retrieve the test samples loaded outside the module," Wang said.
Compared with the previous two manned space flights, the Shenzhou VII mission faces unprecedented technical difficulties, he said, even though China has achieved a series of technical breakthroughs, including making an EVA suit and airlock module.
During the mission, the astronauts will have to assemble and test the 120-kg EVA suits, depressurize and re-pressurize the cabin, and exit and re-enter the orbital module.
"The process of EVAs cannot be simulated completely on the ground and some of the newly developed products have to be tested in flight for the first time," Wang said.
Thirteen Orlan-M spacesuits, three for actual EVAs, were received from Russia under a contract signed in April 2004, he said. Moscow developed the spacesuits, while Beijing gave the power supply and communication systems.
"Russian experts have provided technical assistance throughout the mission," he said.
Thanks to the collaboration, China took only three and half years to design the EVA spacesuit. Or else it would have taken eight years to do so, Chen Shanguang, head and chief designer of the project's astronaut suits and other accessories, said.
Russia helped train the astronauts and develop the Shenzhou spacecraft, too.
But soon China could train foreign astronauts, Xinhua quoted Chen as having said. "China's two successful manned space missions have showed it has the technical ability to independently train astronauts in future."
In 2003, China became the first country after the US and Russia to send a man into space. It followed it with a two-man mission in 2005.
Source:Xinhua
One of the astronauts, Zhai Zhigang will walk in space around 4:30 pm on Saturday, media reports said.
The spacecraft will carry astronauts Liu Boming and Jing Haipeng, too.
One of the major tasks of the three-day mission is extra-vehicular activity , or spacewalk in this case, mission spokesman Wang Zhaoyao said at a news conference yesterday. The success of the task will mark a remarkable step forward for China.
The other tasks include releasing a small monitoring satellite and satellite data relay trials, said Wang, who is also deputy director of China's manned space program office.
"The Shenzhou VII mission marks a historic breakthrough in China's manned space program. It is a great honor for all three of us to be part of the mission, and we are fully prepared for the challenge," Zhai Zhigang said when he and the other two astronauts met the media yesterday.
Tonight's mission will be the second stage of China's three-stage manned space program, which eventually is aimed at building a space lab and a space station by 2020.
Engineers began loading fuel in the carrier rocket at 4 pm yesterday, a process that would take seven hours and meant the launch was "irreversible", Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center officials said.
Shenzhou VII will be launched from atop the Long-March II-F carrier rocket into orbit 343 km from Earth.
Two of the astronauts will enter the orbital module, put on EVA spacesuits and prepare for the spacewalk. One of them will put on a China-made "Feitian" EVA suit and the other, a Russian Orlan-M "Haiying" suit.
And "one of the two will get out of the cabin and retrieve the test samples loaded outside the module," Wang said.
Compared with the previous two manned space flights, the Shenzhou VII mission faces unprecedented technical difficulties, he said, even though China has achieved a series of technical breakthroughs, including making an EVA suit and airlock module.
During the mission, the astronauts will have to assemble and test the 120-kg EVA suits, depressurize and re-pressurize the cabin, and exit and re-enter the orbital module.
"The process of EVAs cannot be simulated completely on the ground and some of the newly developed products have to be tested in flight for the first time," Wang said.
Thirteen Orlan-M spacesuits, three for actual EVAs, were received from Russia under a contract signed in April 2004, he said. Moscow developed the spacesuits, while Beijing gave the power supply and communication systems.
"Russian experts have provided technical assistance throughout the mission," he said.
Thanks to the collaboration, China took only three and half years to design the EVA spacesuit. Or else it would have taken eight years to do so, Chen Shanguang, head and chief designer of the project's astronaut suits and other accessories, said.
Russia helped train the astronauts and develop the Shenzhou spacecraft, too.
But soon China could train foreign astronauts, Xinhua quoted Chen as having said. "China's two successful manned space missions have showed it has the technical ability to independently train astronauts in future."
In 2003, China became the first country after the US and Russia to send a man into space. It followed it with a two-man mission in 2005.
Source:Xinhua
U.S. space expert: "Spacewalk is an important step for China's space exploration"
"With goals laid out for a space lab and eventual space station, the planned first spacewalk during Shenzhou-7 mission is an important step toward those eventual goals for China's space exploration," Joan Johnson-Freese, a space expert at U.S. Naval War College told Xinhua in a recent interview.
China has announced that the Shenzhou-7 spacecraft will lift off on Thursday night. This will be the thirdChinese manned space mission, but the first time Chinese astronauts perform a spacewalk.
"Spacewalking is a critical capability for the assembly of a space lab or space station, and this first spacewalk will put China one step closer ," said Johnson-Freese, who is a famous expert studying the Chinese space program. She envisions that when China's Long March 5 launch vehicle becomes operational, then a Chinese space station and the potential for a manned lunar mission become real.
Spacewalks are inherently dangerous because the environment of space is so harsh and unforgiving for humans. "So, the fact that China is planning to use its own space suit -- which must be flexible for movement, provide life support for the astronaut, and yet protect against such hazards as micrometeors -- shows significant technical achievement and confidence," She added.
"China is to be commended for its rapid advancements since Shenzhou-5 ," Johnson-Freese said that she is certainly following the Shenzhou-7 mission. "It appears to me as part of an ambitious, yet incremental program for China's space exploration."
When asked about China's role in the international space exploration cooperation in the future, Johnson-Freese said China has certainly shown itself technical capability of playing a valuable role in a potential space partnership.
In a U.S. Congress hearing on Sept. 15, Johnson-Freese ever told the U.S.- China Economic and Security Review Commission about the implications of space cooperation with China.
After Shenzhou-5 , "enthusiastic congratulations and invitations for expanded space cooperation were sent from Europe and Russia," she said. And just on Oct. 30, 2003, China joined an increasing consortium of countries working with Europe on development of the Galileo navigation satellite system.
"While the agreement remains a shell and the ultimate role China will play in Galileo is unclear, it is clear that other countries are willing and in fact anxious to work with China in Space," She said at that hearing. "That has significant planning implications for U.S.."
However, she noted in the interview with Xinhua that space is part of a larger relationship between countries. For large-scale cooperation to be considered between the U.S. and China, "I think other requirements will need to be met".
For example, it would be very useful if China could share information about its program, and decision making structure, as other countries do.
In the meantime, "I am an advocate of both dialogue and cooperation. I hope there will be opportunities for more dialogue between the U.S. and China, reciprocity of visits and information sharing, and taking small steps toward cooperation, starting perhaps with space science and Earth science."
Source:Xinhua
China has announced that the Shenzhou-7 spacecraft will lift off on Thursday night. This will be the thirdChinese manned space mission, but the first time Chinese astronauts perform a spacewalk.
"Spacewalking is a critical capability for the assembly of a space lab or space station, and this first spacewalk will put China one step closer ," said Johnson-Freese, who is a famous expert studying the Chinese space program. She envisions that when China's Long March 5 launch vehicle becomes operational, then a Chinese space station and the potential for a manned lunar mission become real.
Spacewalks are inherently dangerous because the environment of space is so harsh and unforgiving for humans. "So, the fact that China is planning to use its own space suit -- which must be flexible for movement, provide life support for the astronaut, and yet protect against such hazards as micrometeors -- shows significant technical achievement and confidence," She added.
"China is to be commended for its rapid advancements since Shenzhou-5 ," Johnson-Freese said that she is certainly following the Shenzhou-7 mission. "It appears to me as part of an ambitious, yet incremental program for China's space exploration."
When asked about China's role in the international space exploration cooperation in the future, Johnson-Freese said China has certainly shown itself technical capability of playing a valuable role in a potential space partnership.
In a U.S. Congress hearing on Sept. 15, Johnson-Freese ever told the U.S.- China Economic and Security Review Commission about the implications of space cooperation with China.
After Shenzhou-5 , "enthusiastic congratulations and invitations for expanded space cooperation were sent from Europe and Russia," she said. And just on Oct. 30, 2003, China joined an increasing consortium of countries working with Europe on development of the Galileo navigation satellite system.
"While the agreement remains a shell and the ultimate role China will play in Galileo is unclear, it is clear that other countries are willing and in fact anxious to work with China in Space," She said at that hearing. "That has significant planning implications for U.S.."
However, she noted in the interview with Xinhua that space is part of a larger relationship between countries. For large-scale cooperation to be considered between the U.S. and China, "I think other requirements will need to be met".
For example, it would be very useful if China could share information about its program, and decision making structure, as other countries do.
In the meantime, "I am an advocate of both dialogue and cooperation. I hope there will be opportunities for more dialogue between the U.S. and China, reciprocity of visits and information sharing, and taking small steps toward cooperation, starting perhaps with space science and Earth science."
Source:Xinhua
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